Brush.



K. WATANABB.

BRUSH. v

Patented Mar-23, 1909.

A TTOHNEYS 'BY-m UNITED S'lrYIFSv KAMEJIRO WAIA NA B, OF SA TTLE, WA SH IN GION.

BRUSH.,

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented March 28, 1909.

Application led December 8, 1908i Serial No. 466,462.

. and Improved Brush, ol which thel following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to ileigible brushes,

`and has for its principal object the production ot an improved liexible brush adapted to be iiexed in one direction to conform itself to the curvature of the object to which it is applied, but so constructed that 'it will auto- `matically return to its normal position to form a. straight back brush.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a lexiblebrush having readily detac ed handles.

A further Objectis to provide im roved guiding mea-ns for the spring at the e ges of the sections, in order to prolong the life of the biush.

Although in its present embodiment my invention is shown as a bath brush, it is in no wise limited thereto but may be utilized in many other kinds of brushes.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters ol reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the' brush complete with flexible handles at-y tached thereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical section l taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the brush showing it lexed to surround an object; Fig. 4 is a partial inverted plan showing a hinge and the means for anchoring the spring; and Fig. 5 is a detail view partly in section, of the yoke for anchoring the spring and also showing one. of the plungers for holding the attached handles in position.-

In said drawings, the back of the brush comprises sections 1', 2, 3, 4 and 5, although it is to be understood that the number of sections may be readily increased or dimin-l .boss 16 and two laterally-extendingarms 17,

is retained inthe grooves 11 and 14 and in the recess 12, as clearly seen in Fig. 4.

The arms 17 may be formed into substantially cylindrical extensions 18, which are closed at their inner and outer ends. The outer end is provided with an aperture 19 for the rece tion of the trunnions 20 of the C- shaped iasteners 21 attached to handles 22. In each extension 18, there is a spiral spring .25 bearing again-sta plate 26 ada ted to come in Contact with the inner en( of the trunnion 2() at each end of the yoke. A bristle plate 30 is 'secured to the under side. oi" the member 1() by means of screws 31. Said plate has a rib 32 adapted to enter the groove 11 to hold the ,yoke 15 in position. The end sections 1 and 5 are alike, and the description of one will suffice for both.

In order to connect the end sections with' the intermediate sections, hinges 35 are provided, which are formed from two plates having laterally-extending projections 36 and 37, which connect said hinges and may be let into the upper members of the back of the brush as shown in Fig. 2.. A sleeve 4() is secured to each of the projections or plates 36 and 37, by mea-ns ofK solder or in any other suitable manner and said sleeves are held in alinement with recesses 41 formed in the upper members of the back of the brush.

A spiral spring`50 is secured at each end to one of the cylindrical bosses 16 and passes longitudinally through all of the sleeves in the top members ofthe back ol the brush. The adjacent faces of the sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are flat and perpendicular to the axis of the spring 50. The tendency ofthe spring is to maintain the brush with a flat back, as sho'iim in Figs. 1 and 2, and to automatically return the brush from the position shown in Fig. 3 to said lat position.

The attaching member 21 is provided with the ti'unnions 20, which are spaced apart sul'iicientlyto enable the end of one :to be freed from its aperture 19 by pushing the other end longitudinally. When one end is freed, then the handle is pushed in the opposite direction to free the other truniiion.

From the construction above forth, it will be seen that the brush is adapted to conform to irregular surfaces, but is limited in its. backward movement to foi-in a straight brush, which may be securclj. gripped and which is incapable ot' lieing' bent bacluvardly.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to Patent: 4

l. A brush, comprising a )lurality of see tions, each provided With a flat facewhere it comes in eontaetwvnh the adjoining section,

secure by Letters a spring havingA its ends securefhin the end detachable handle-attaching means provided with trunnions adapted to coact With said plungers, and a handle secured to said attaching means.

3. A brush, comprising a plurality of sec-A tions, each end section having a passage eX- tending therethrough and communicating wlth a lateral passage, the intermediate sections having` transverse passages in line with said lateral passages, a yoln` in each ond scetion having a pair of s pring-pressed plunger-s mounted therein, a spring connecting said yoles and passing through the transverse` passages in said 'intermediate sections, detachable handles cooperating with said plungers, and means for hing-ing said sections together.

4. A brush, comprising a plurality ol sections hinged together, oppositely-disposed sleeves mounted in said sections, a yoke in each end section, and a spring secured. at each endto one of said yokes and passing through said sleeves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KAMEJIR() VATA NABE, Witnesses:

J. A. THOMAS,

LEWIS. 

